Toronto-based Nagata Shachu has enthralled audiences with their mesmerizing and heart-pounding performances of the Japanese drum (taiko) since 1998. The group has toured widely throughout Canada, the U.S., and Italy, and has performed at major engagements in both Lebanon and Mexico. While rooted in the folk drumming traditions of Japan, the ensemble’s principal aim is to rejuvenate this ancient artform by producing innovative and exciting music that seeks to create a new voice for the taiko.

AG Dance Fitness is an emerging dance company based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Their dynamic classes combine high-intensity Bollywood-style workouts with elements of jazz, hip-hop, and traditional Indian classical dance. With studios conveniently located in Milton and Brampton, they have welcomed over 100 enthusiastic members who are reaping the stress-relieving benefits of their classes, led by lead Instructor AnupamZ, who has over 10 years of experience in the dance industry.

Alpha Rhythm Roots, is comprised of the group’s founder, Alpha, and percussionists Derek Thorne, Walter MacLean, and multiple other artists. Together,  they regularly perform at numerous events across the country. Alpha Rhythm Roots also hosts workshops, percussion classes, and more with the goal of bringing the traditional music, dance, and culture of Guinea and West Africa to Canada and beyond.

Combining elements of Western classical music, jazz, funk, and blues with South Asian classical and folk traditions, Running Rivers combines unique colours, moods, and resonance from their varied palettes of expression and experience. Running Rivers’ unique sound is rooted in understanding, humility, insignificance, and a celebration of the collective human experience.

Toronto-based band Kazdoura fuzes nostalgia and reinvention in their modern interpretation of Arabic music. Their style is a cross-cultural blend of Eastern and Western music that combines old-world Arabic classics with jazz, funk, electro-pop, and disco. This project was founded in the summer of 2020, quickly finding success online, where their videos have collected more than 3 million views on Tik Tok. In June 2022, Kazdoura released their debut EP “Wain,” which received support from the Ontario Arts Council, CBC, Danny Hajjar’s popular Sa’alouni El Nas Substack, and featured on Habibi Funk’s popular Spotify playlist.

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Canada is based at Fort York in Toronto and has a continuous tradition reaching back to 1863, making it the oldest permanently formed military band in Canada. A decree by Queen Victoria authorized the Regiment to wear the distinctive scarlet uniform and bearskin cap of the “Guards” on all ceremonial occasions. The Band appears at various functions across Canada and internationally. The Band is under the musical direction of Captain Kevin Anderson, CD, Director of Music and is led on parade by Drum Major Steven Yasinsky.

The Band performs by kind permission of Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Martinis, MB, CD, Commanding Officer.

Maracatu Mar Aberto is a Toronto-based community percussion group playing Maracatu de Baque Virado and other rhythms derived from the traditions of Northeastern Brazil. Translated to English as “the open sea,” the name represents the aggregated influences that have travelled from Africa to Brazil to Toronto and beyond. Founded in 2010, the group has played on streets and stages across Ontario and Quebec, spreading rhythm, song, and movement. A living tradition of Afro-Brazilian rhythm in a local context, working collectively on the artistry and heritage that is Maracatu de Baque Virado.

PASSARIM celebrates the art of Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, the creator of Bossa Nova, in a classy and modern tribute, framed through carefully adapted arrangements using synthesizers, vocal effects, and electric guitars. The project started in 2017, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jobim’s first gold album Passarim (1987). In their first international tour, the group will perform in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, as well as the maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Elvine Assouline dedicated most of his life to empowering and entertaining kids through magic and leadership programs. He has successfully organized hundreds of private events, such as birthday parties and weddings as well as corporate events like holiday celebrations and family days. After relocating to a new continent, Elvine brings a unique French touch with a bit of “je ne sais quoi” to Toronto, making his events extra special.

Born on the streets of Toronto in 2017, Big Smoke Brass is a leading voice in the Canadian brass landscape. With hundreds of performances under their belt, the band is equally comfortable on the streets, in clubs, at events, at festivals, or on the road. Their polished, high-energy sound is unmistakable and has captivated audiences all over, leading to numerous web and television appearances, shows alongside international artists, and a growing discography of original music and videos. The band maintains a busy performance schedule throughout the year, all while endeavouring to spread positivity and foster community with their listeners and the next generation of musicians.

KUNÉ — Canada’s Global Orchestra — was developed from a major initiative by The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto to explore and celebrate Canada’s cultural diversity and pluralism. The ensemble seeks to communicate in ways that words, politicians, and spiritual leaders cannot, and help to find a common language through music. The musicians hail from all corners of the globe — from Peru, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Ukraine, and beyond — and play instruments as diverse as they are, from the tar of Iran to the bouzouki of Greece to the sitar of Pakistan.

Entertainer, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, author, and educator Njacko Backo shares his uplifting music, energizing dance, and hope-filled stories with audiences of all ages and all walks of life. Born in Cameroon, musically and spiritually, Backo draws on the lessons he learned in Africa from his musical family, mentors and village life. Although he loved life in the village where he was immersed in music, his dream was to discover the world and learn all he could about people and different cultures. Backo left home at the age of 17, eventually landing in Europe, and then Canada. He moved to Toronto in 1998 where he recreated his band Kalimba Kalimba. Since that time, Njacko has grown his band’s sound to include a world flavour by blending traditional instruments (kalimba, djembe, ngoni, balafon) with more modern sounds (bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, flute, drum kit, cello, bagpipes, sitar, dilruba, grand piano, oboe) and other traditional percussion (bata from Cuba, tabla from India, udu, cajon)

Sitar Fusion is composed of two internationally acclaimed artists promoting cultural diversity and understanding through classical Indian music and dance; Anwar Khurshid and Geneviève Beaulieu. Performing with musicians from other genres including Blues, Jazz, African, Middle Eastern, and Chinese, Anwar’s innovative collaborations create music transcending categorization. Geneviève Beaulieu is an interpretive dancer from Québec. Inspired by Indian classical dance, Geneviève uses dance to tell stories and express poetry and emotion. For the past decade, the two of them have been promoting cultural diversity and have performed in numerous venues and festivals in Canada, the United States and India.

Violinist and music producer, Tina Sol, blends classical finesse with contemporary cadence. Despite her rigorous training at the Royal Conservatory of Music, her radical creative journey was ignited by the sonics of 90s and 2000s Hip-Hop and R&B. From being a session violinist skilled in multiple genres and creating elegant string arrangements to performing on concert and festival stages, her rebellious artistry echoes a daring invitation: to explore, embrace, and reimagine the symphony of your craft.

Rahaf is a singer, social worker, and community builder from Syria. Since arriving in Canada in 2016, she has actively participated in programs with various organizations in the GTA. She founded the Haneen Women Choir, she has completed herMA in Humanities York University, Rahaf is a choir member at the Canadian Arabic Orchestra. She is always striving to unite people through food, music, and culture.

Suzette Vidale is an innovative artist with roots in Trinidad and St. Lucia. As an ambassador of the steelpan, her greatest moments are using it as a wellness tool to educate, entertain, and inspire. Vidale hopes that the instrument will act as a tool to provide a safe space to foster curiosity and creativity and encourage others to learn more about Caribbean arts and culture. 
 
Vidale has performed at the Viola Desmond Awards, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the Lieutenant Governor’s New Year’s Levee.

The Harana Kwartet is a modern OPM (Original Pilipino Music) group that interprets traditional and popular Filipino music, as well as original material. They combine musical elements of the R&B, jazz, and pop music scene along with their influence of Filipino music to create a fresh contemporary sound.

Joseph Funk | Trumpet

Matthew Zachary Tenedero | Guitar

Carlo Sto Domingo | Bass

Marcus Jereza | Drums

Gurprabh Sandhu, an alumni of MS university in Vadodara India, is renowned for her Sufi -infused Indian classical Vocals, drawing inspiration from legends like Abida Parveen, Shubh Upadhyay has been playing the keyboard/piano for 10+ years. Shubh is also RCM 4 certified in Piano.

Diar ( دْيَار ) is a Syrian band dedicated to reviving and preserving traditional Syrian and Arabic songs by infusing them with a flamenco touch. The term “Diar” ( دْيَار ) refers to the open space of a courtyard in Damascus’ traditional houses, also known as “Ard Diar” ( أرض دْيَار ). This term evokes memories of their homeland in Syria and of their musical roots.